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“Go.” She nodded to the house. “I get it, and we have lots of time.” Mo brushed a kiss on her cheek then raced back inside.

Two days later, a soft knock at the door preceded Riley's entrance. Riley walked to the bed and laid a hand on Zack’s.

"How is he?" Victor asked after a long minute where they knew Riley was checking out all Zack’s systems.

Riley smiled, the first genuine smile Mo had seen from him in a while. "Better than I expected. The drugs are exiting his system, and the mating sickness is definitely retreating now that he's back with you both. I think he'll wake up soon. Maybe today.

Mo's heart leaped. "Really?"

"Really," Riley confirmed. "Just keep doing what you're doing—stay close, maintain physical contact. The bond is doing most of the healing work now."

"And the baby?" Victor asked, his voice carefully controlled.

Riley's expression softened. "Strong. Resilient, like its parents. He glanced at the curve on Zack’s belly. The baby’s now the equivalent of three months along.”

"Is that dangerous?" Victor asked, his protective instincts flaring.

"It's not ideal," Riley admitted, "but now that we've stopped the acceleration, things should stabilize. Male shifters typically have shorter pregnancies than even female shifters because they don’t have a uterus—about five months rather than nine. Zack had already lost weight before this started, so it will be up to you two to monitor him.”

Mo smiled with determination. Zack was going to be spoiled rotten.

“The baby appears healthy, just developing faster than normal." Riley grinned. “When Jax and the family arrive back tomorrow, Jax’ll be able to check and see what sex and designation you’re having if you like.”

After Riley left, Mo crawled carefully onto the bed beside Zack, curling against his side. Victor joined them on Zack's other side, their hands meeting across Zack's chest so they were all touching. “I’m going to spoil you so hard,” Mo vowed. “And I don’t care whether it’s a cub, a pup, or just a baby. They’ll be loved whatever they are.”

“That a promise?” Zack mumbled followed by a weak groan. His eyes opened slowly, unfocused at first, then sharpening as they found Victor and Mo.

"You’re here," he rasped, his voice barely audible.

"We’re not going anywhere," Victor promised, bending to press his forehead against Zack's. "Here to stay."

Mo leaned in from the other side, his fingers gently stroking Zack's cheek. "How do you feel?"

"Like I've been hit by a truck," Zack managed, attempting a weak smile. "But better now that you're here."

Mo choked back a sob, relief washing over him in waves as he pressed a gentle kiss to Zack's lips. "We were so scared," he whispered. "We almost lost you."

Zack's eyes suddenly widened with alarm. "The baby—"

"Is fine," Victor assured him quickly, his hand moving to rest protectively over the small swell of Zack's abdomen. "Riley's been monitoring both of you. The baby is strong."

Zack relaxed slightly, his eyes drifting to the slight curve beneath Victor's palm. "It's real," he murmured. "I thought I might have hallucinated it."

"Very real," Mo confirmed with a watery smile. "And apparently developing faster than normal because of the drugs they gave you. Riley says you're essentially three months along already."

"Three months?" Zack looked stunned. "But we only mated a few weeks ago."

Victor's jaw tightened. "Pearson's doctors were accelerating the pregnancy. Riley says now that you're off those drugs, things should stabilize."

Zack absorbed this information silently, his hand moving to join Victor's over his abdomen. "I can feel it," he said softly. "Not just physically, but... here." He tapped his temple. "My bear knows. Has known from the beginning, I think."

“What about you?” Zack looked at Mo.

"Actually," Mo said carefully, "I'm not pregnant, Zack. It's just you."

Confusion clouded Zack's features. "But the heat. You’re an omega."

“I went into heat because I’m mated to two shifters, but I don’t have the biology to get pregnant,” Mo teased. He’d spent a while talking to Riley as they’d both watched Zack sleep while Victor organized the long-term protection of the house. Victor had no intention of ever letting something like Zack’s kidnapping ever happen again.